Four Corners

Four Corners is where Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado join together. Believe it or not, it’s a big tourist destination and in my opinion, worth the stop for photos.

Have you been to four corners? If not, it’s a fun place to stop while you are making your way through the Northeastern part of Arizona. Entrance to the monument costs $5 (per vehicle), and there is plentiful parking and restrooms, although they aren’t fancy.

The road to Four Corners.

Posing at Four Corners is a popular activity.

Four Corners is actually on Navajo Nation land, and the Four Corners Monument is administered by the Navajo Nation Department of Parks and Recreation. This part of Arizona is mostly rural, rugged, and windswept. There’s not a lot of rain in this area. The Navajo actually take advantage of the situation, and have built a huge town square where they sell jewelry and souvenirs. You can purchase turquoise jewelry, magnets, shirts, and hats from your choice of perhaps 30 to 40 vendors.

During the winter time, temperatures can drop to freezing and below. It snows, although not a lot, and there are no lines to stand on the exact spot where the four states converge.

During the summer time, you may need to wait in line for a little while because there are so many people waiting to take pictures. While you wait, you can chat with other travelers and talk about how silly it is to be waiting in line in the middle of nowhere.

Another view of Four Corners Monument.

Some of the frequently visited areas within Four Corners include Monument Valley (in Arizona), Mesa Verde National Park (in Colorado), Chaco Canyon (in New Mexico), and Canyon de Chelly National Monument (in Arizona).

Another view, above, showing the long line during our visit in June, 2014.

There’s been some debate as to the accuracy of the location. Technically, according to multiple GPS measurements, the actual location is some 25 feet away. But, who cares. If you are driving through the four corners region, be sure to stop and check it out!